


Heaven is the new Hell

by qewhfi



Category: Cuphead (Video Game)
Genre: Other, i don't know yet, possible relationships???
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-16 17:18:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16499519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qewhfi/pseuds/qewhfi
Summary: (Based on an image i saw on tumblr {Credit to artist otherwindow}) An angel's horns are broken in an accident, and is thrown into a new life he did not want. Now he has run away from heaven in fear of retribution, ending up in the Inkwell Isles. Will he ever go back to heaven? Will The Devil realize the full consequences of actions long ago, and even act on the result? Or will the angel remain on Earth, and the Devil ignorant and complacent? Or will something else begin ... Or end?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the story of Lucifer's rebellion. Not all details included, and I'm sorry for any wrong details, this is just the information I found. It is not meant to be disrespectful to any branch of the Abrahamic religion.

Millennia ago, there was an an angel. He was known to his creator and brothers as Lucifer, Chief of the Seraphim. God and the other angels regarded Lucifer as God's greatest creation. He was the strongest, most beautiful, most intelligent, and his divine light shone brightly from the Mountain of God for all to see. For this he became the Morning Star. Soon, however, God found flaws in Lucifer. He had become proud of his attributes and position of power, and this pride corrupted him. Soon after, pride gave way to greed, as he began to seek more power.

Lucifer knew that this would have consequences if he failed, but his greed and pride had become to strong for him to resist, and thus the first seeds of sin were sewn in the heart of the universe. Lucifer rebelled against the laws of God, and God Himself, and lost, causing devastating chaos as those who thought Lucifer was right to seek power joined him. He was cast from Heaven, though not banished, and stripped of his position of power. Lucifer chose to then anger God further to soothe his wounded pride. He whispered in the ears of men, and filled their minds with sin, even going so far as to trick them into letting him use their bodies.

For these heinous crimes, Lucifer was finally cut off from Heaven, and stripped of his name, given the new title Satan, meaning adversary. He was then cast into the deepest pit, which would become his new kingdom, Hell. Lucifer despised men, and took their souls which had been bound for paradise, torturing them for the flaws he himself had given them. God saw potential in this, and took the divine souls Satan had taken, and cast those who had given in to sin down into Hell. He then warned all of humanity that the endless torture in the fire and brimstone below was what awaited those who succumbed to sin.

(It diverges from scripture here, for story purposes.)

This was not the end of God's wrath, though. He saw the weaknesses in his angels, and decided to act before new rebellions could begin. He chose a select few who were not weak to themselves, and destroyed the rest to begin again, while rebels were cast to Hell with Satan to be tortured with the rest of the sinners, becoming demons who served Satan. These new angels were given no worldly knowledge, for He decided He would teach them. Their halos were discarded, and replaced with horns. These horns were sculpted to become one, a ring which would shine divine light into their faces, to blind them and burn their flesh.

This would remind them of His scorching wrath. They would also serve as His way of speaking to them, directly in their minds. They were given new wings, which did not have the delicate feathers so easily lost, but were scaled with gold. This would reflect the light, and he would know where they were, always. They were given delicate, slight forms, not meant to fight. Their weakness would require them to seek His protection. They were given ears, which could hear the cries of the damned below in Hell, to make their minds pound with the reminder of what would be their punishment for disobedience, which would only be soothed by drowning out all sound but his voice. 

In their weakness, blindness, stupidity, the angels would rely on him for all things. They would not see their faces and could not be entranced by beauty. They could not take pride in their knowledge or power. And in His concentration on creating the perfect slaves, He neglected to realize He had become sinful, wrath corrupting Him. The once gentle, white, divine light which shone throughout Heaven became hot, red, harsh. And it only grew worse as He spent days looking out over His no longer glorious kingdom in ruins.


	2. In which we meet our protagonist

An angel flew through Heaven, headed for his post in sensing whether justice was brought to sinners. For his duties, he was given the name Justitia, or Justice. The bat-like form he had been given cut through the skies quickly, meant for fast travel. What he didn't know was that another angel had crossed his path due to the blindness, and this would change his eternal life forever. The two collided, sending them to the ground with a clamor as their golden wings clashed. As Justice fell, his horns caught on a broken pillar. He screamed as the sudden weight the horns were never meant to bear broke them. The light from the halo went out, allowing him to see around him for the first time. The screams of the damned were silence in his ears. The pain of his burning skin dulled.

He opened his eyes, blinking at the sudden ability to see beyond the red glare of God's light, and he was shocked by what he saw. All around him were destroyed granite buildings, pillars, and towers. Trees, grasses, bushes, all were dead and scorched. Rivers were thick with the pearlescent blood of angels. They had been told heaven was beautiful... He could see that once it had been. He reached to speak with God, only to find that he couldn't. Fear gripped him, in spite of the relief that the loss of pain and screaming had provided him. He couldn't communicate with God, What if something happened? He looked around in a panic, seeing the remains of his horns. He scrambled to pick them up and put them in their rightful place, only to pull them away in pain as the jagged bases met with the stumps on his head. The same pearly blood flowed over his face and neck, matting the short fur on his body. His long ears twitched as his body trembled.

The stench of blood, which he had never smelled before from his place high above the ground, caused him to gag. Yet... He found the urge to follow it, to find the source of the blood which somehow flowed constantly to taint the water. He made his way to his feet, and walked up the river. A few minutes travel (He didn't trust himself to fly), he came to a lake, and horror filled him. A lake stretched before him, bodies of angels he didn't recognize scattering the shore and floating in the water. White feathers floated through the air. He looked at the water, puking as he watched his older siblings blood spill from they're flesh.

Then, in a clear patch of water, however brief it was, he saw an image. Trees with green leaves, grass blowing in a breeze, a blue sky with soft white clouds. There was a rumble in the air, and the red light around him grew scorching. He saw the Hand of God reach for him, and in terror of the wrath which surely awaited him, he leaped into the water, He felt it envelope him, and swam deeper and deeper. Soon he felt air around him. He struggled, think he had been caught, and crashed into something. Pain filled him, and the world went dark.


	3. Waking up on Earth

When Justitia woke, he was in a tree, the soft leaves brushing against his body. Aches spread through him, turning into awful pains. He tried to move, only to cry in agony. His white fur was damp with blood and sweat, making him even more uncomfortable. He heard footsteps approaching, and saw two small cups coming up the path. "H-Help! Help me, please!" He called out, trying not to sob. They looked up, and gasped in shock. The blue one ran forward. "Oh gosh! Are you okay? What happened?!" Justitia whimpered. "I-I was running away from being attacked, and I crashed into this tree. I think I broke something..." He shifted, gasping in pain. "Or a few things..."

The two shared a worried look. The red spoke up this time, a flash of hope on his face. "Maybe Cagney can help! He has vines, so he can reach up with them and get him down?" The blue cup nodded, getting antsy. "Yeah! Stay here and make sure he doesn't get hurt worse. I'll get Cagney!" The two nodded at each other, and parted. Red moved closer. "So, I'm Cuphead. And you are?" He took a deep breath, trying to calm down and stop trembling. "I am called Justitia." Cuphead nodded. "So where are you from?" Justitia's ears flattened, and he looked down in shame. "I am- maybe was now... An angel of heaven. I was in charge of ensuring sinful and corrupt souls were sent to Hell to receive punishment. I broke my halo by accident, however, and was cut off from God. He was angry, and I ran away out of fear...

"Ironic, the angel in charge of justice is afraid of being punished..." He pointed at the broken horns on the ground. "Angels are forbidden from coming to the mortal realm, unless given express permission from God... I defied him in allowing my halo to be broken, fleeing him, and worst of all, I have trespassed on Earth... I don't think I can go back..." His voice shook with regret, fear, and sorrow as he tried not to dry again. Cuphead picked up the horns, and stared at them. "Oh geez... Well, will they grow back?" Justitia shrugged in response, staring at the ground. A large flower rose from the ground, the blue cup in his leaves.

Cuphead turned. "Mugman, good. Did you tell Cagney before you brought him?" Mugman nodded, and the bright orange flower turned to the tree. "Oh geez, Mugman. You didn't say it was THIS bad. I can get him down, but it'll hurt a lot." Justitia took a deep breath. "Does anyone have something I can bite down on? I'd prefer not to break my teeth." Mugman pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, and Cagney stuffed it in Justitia's mouth. Then, vines slowly reached up and wrapped around him. As he was shifted, he gasped and hissed. Cagney brought him down, careful of his injuries. "I can set the bones too... I'm not sure if this is a good place for that though." Cuphead and Mugman were quiet, faces green with nausea.

Justitia nodded. "Cuphead, Mugman, you two should leave for a bit. I think Cagney should set my bones." The two nodded and left. Cagney prepared, then began the pull and push everything into place. By the end, stars swam before his eyes, and his vision was dark around the edges. Vines were wrapped around him to hold the reset bones in place. He blinked, and suddenly Cuphead and Mugman were standing above him. He smiled at them to be reassuring, but he could tell it didn't work. If anything, they looked more worried. He blacked out, his body giving out under the stress he was never meant to endure.


	4. A new home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://youtu.be/ZW25nrh-mxo this is the song in the chapter

When Justitia awoke a second time, he was in a bed. In a chair next to him, an older gentleman sat. He was a kettle, a newspaper in his hand as he slowly rocked back and forth. He glanced over, and smiled upon realizing that Justitia was awake. "Hello there! I am Elder Kettle. Cuphead and Mugman brought you home, and explained what happened. I am very sorry... But we will do our best to keep you comfortable as long as you're with us." Justitia smiled. "Thank you, sir... I will try not to bother you." Kettle chuckled and shook his head. "Not to worry. You just focus on healing." He left, and Justitia was alone. The silence was deafening. Even the damned screams of the sinners in Hell was preferable, simply because he couldn't handle the suffocating silence. He began to sing, just to fill the air with some kind of sound.

Silver light, she turned her face up to the starlit sky, and on this night began to wonder 'Why?'  
She knew that soon the day would come...  
Born to be an heir of beauty and serenity  
Into this world she entered quietly  
To her surprise she was the one  
Destiny was close behind her, phantom of borrowed life  
And the sea was a reminder; mirror of given light  
Then one day, the sun she'd waited for in skies of grey, traversed a winding road and came her way  
She found the love she hoped she would  
But she knew that she had promises to stay true to  
The dormant daughter of the silver moon  
Then all at once she understood  
Destiny was close behind her, phantom of borrowed life  
And the sea was a reminder; mirror of given light  
From the sky, she watched the life she'd known she would leave behind  
Said goodbye and gave her people life through her sacrifice

He sighed as the silence began to press in again, preparing to sing a new song, only to pause as he saw a flash of red. Cuphead stood in the doorway, mouth open and eyes wide in awe. Mugman stood behind him, in a similar state. Justitia blushed, looking away. "I-I don't do well in silence... It was very loud in Heaven..." He couldn't help the shudder that crawled down his spine, although he didn't understand why the thought of returning to Heaven filled him with dread. It was his home, where his siblings were, and his creator. An image of the lake flashed through his mind, and he bit his lip. A hand rested on his shoulder, and Cuphead and Mugman's worried faces came into view.

"I'm okay." He said, dredging up a smile. They backed off, and Justitia asked "So, where am I?" Cuphead responded, a grin on his face. "You're in the Inkwell Isles! There are four islands, and we're on the first isle. All we have here is the lighthouse, our cabin, and the glass beach. It used to be a landfill for glass products, like bottles and stuff, but ours isn't as famous as the one in Russia, because its smaller, and the glass is less colorful. A lot of it is just clear or brown, but sometimes we find really pretty stuff, like blue or green. I'm the only one who's ever found red glass though!" Justitia chuckled, nodding along.

Mugman jumped in at that point with his own information. "Actually, Cuphead, you forgot that a lot of the agriculture is out here! It's mostly managed by Cagney Carnation and the Root Pack, Weepy the Onion, Psycarrot, and Moe Tato, although I heard recently there are two new members, Betty Beet and Radish. Isle two has the tourist attractions, like the carnival. Other than that there's Djimmi the Great, a genie, Baroness Von Bonbon, the confectioner, and the ruins in the mountain. Isle 3 is the economic hub, where most of the businesses and people are. There's a couple inventors too, and a mermaid who's half gorgon."

After this, Cuphead jumped back in, a sour look on his face. "Then there's the fourth island, which is a second mountain. There's a cave there which leads directly to Hell. The Devil's Casino is there, where the sleazy staff and the owner, The Devil, manipulate people into selling their souls." Justitia frowned in confusion at that tidbit. "But they have the ability to not sell their souls, yes? After all, they have free will." This clearly upset the duo, but they had no clear argument. Justitia felt guilty about that. "I'm sorry. I know little of earth, as it was not something that concerned me. I was just to ensure souls were judged properly. I don't even know what a soul contract entails...Angels aren't allowed to know about mortal affairs..."

The tension lessened, though it wasn't gone. Cuphead sighed, speaking up. "Well, you aren't wrong. They manipulate and badger people into thinking they don't have a choice, and they prey on weaknesses. Like greed... You do have a choice, though in some situations it seems like you don't. Anyway, you say your an angel, but you don't look like how angels are described in the Bible." Justitia shuddered. "That's because my ancestors, the first angels, were slaughtered..." He reached into his magic, pulling up a ring of fire.

In the center was an image of the edge of a wing in water. Soft feathers soaked in blood and water, waves lapping at them. He didn't want to show more. "I don't know how, or why, or who... But they're all dead... Presumably, after that, God decided to redesign us..." He dissipated the image. Mugman came closer. "Well, maybe we can find out? But you don't know much about anything it seems..." Justitia nodded. "We only knew what God taught us, and he only taught us what was necessary. Our duties, our reliance on him, and his wrath... Anything else was unimportant."

This seemed to exasperate them, and Justitia looked away in guilt. Mugman frowned. "How can we even trust you? There isn't even a way to confirm your story." Now Justitia was offended, They were insinuating he would lie if he even could?! "Whoa, angels can't lie! Lies can't even be told in our presence!" At this, Cuphead opened his mouth, and his mouth moved in silent words. His eyes went wide and he tried to continue before relenting. "Well, this house is about to get a lot more honest... He's telling the truth. I can't lie." Mugman nodded.


	5. a time skip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm lazy. Lemme know if you guys want "daily life of" chapters

The days passed quickly, news about Justitia spreading faster than fire over dead brush. Despite that, the four lived a quiet, peaceful life as the angel healed. Cuphead and Mugman, upon finding they could no longer lie when Justitia was within a 50 ft radius of them, learned to manipulate the truth so that they weren't lying, but still got away with stuff. Justitia was welcomed with open arms by most, and made friends easily. The longer he stayed on earth, however, the more he realized he dreaded going back to heaven. He dreaded the pain of holy light, and the punishment that surely awaited. Dreaded the blindness, the helplessness... Being a slave... He had come to realize that God was cruel, unjust, and felt sick at the thought of going back to something so awful now that he'd experienced the other end of the spectrum. He didn't know another life though. He felt he had to go back. It's literally the life he was made for. So he should go back... Right?...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short! I wrote this in school, so it turned out crappy.


	6. Imagine

Hey guys! I finally drew Justitia! I decided to add a little detail of olive branches woven around his horns because I thought it was nice. Unfortunately it's in black and white. I think he turned out super cute. Lemme know if you want more illustrations in my stories! he's here:  
https://askjustitiaandfriends.tumblr.com/image/179696253293


	7. Ask blog

I have an ask blog for this story now! Here it is:  
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/askjustitiaandfriends


	8. Explorations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Justitia has healed, and is now free to roam the isles

Justitia eventually healed enough to fly again, much to everyone's delight. His horns had also started to grow very slowly, and had lost their pointed tips. They were rounded now, but it wasn't important. The old horns Justitia had saved eventually grew dry, and hollowed out of the marrow within. He didn't really know what to do with them. He walked from his room into the kitchen downstairs, where he decided to cook breakfast. A quick browse through Elder Kettle's cookbook had him searching for ingredients to make french toast. Eventually, he was preparing three servings of french toast with fresh berries and a dash of powdered sugar. He was washing the dishes when Mugman and Cuphead came in, still rubbing sleep from their eyes.  
"Mornin' Justi..." Cuphead mumbled. Upon realizing they could barely pronounce Justitia's name, they had gifted him with the nickname 'Justi'. which had him tickled pink. He loved having friends, as angels weren't usually social in heaven to prevent risk of lust, despite their blindness. He tried to avoid talking about heaven, as it made others uncomfortable. The boys sat down, and Justitia served them, drizzling chocolate syrup over Mugman's serving, and honey and cinnamon over Cuphead's. The two dug in with gusto. "Wow, This is so good!" Mugman said through a mouthful. "You should cook more often!" Cuphead nodded, too busy stuffing his face to speak. Elder Kettle came in, leaning heavily on his cane as he usually did in the morning. Justitia helped him into a chair and handed him his plate. A quick squirt of syrup and he was settled. Justitia settled back into the dishes, knowing that he made the others uncomfortable with not needing to eat.  
Soon, a stack of plates and silverware were tossed into the sink to be washed. Justitia grinned, chuckling. He knew that he was inadequate in most things, but with a step stool and some stretching, he was okay at dishes and cooking. He always had to clean water off of the floor though. When he finished, and mopped up, he sat in the living room with a book. He'd begun to research the mortal realm, devouring knowledge like a spark to kindling. Upon discovering he had a fellow voracious learner, Mugman gladly helped Justitia in his studies when not at his job. Cuphead then invited Justitia into his workout routine, with the bat-angel slowly but surely improving his physical state. Now, though, his book didn't seem to be holding his interest. His legs twitched and bounced. Perhaps a walk would do him some good. He told Elder Kettle he was going to walk to the carnival and chat with Djimmi before his shift started, and left. It was a warm morning as he headed out, birds fluttering between the branches overhead. He waved to the root pack as he passed their garden, and soon found himself at the die house which stood at the bridge between islands.  
As he entered, he was surprised to see a man there, as he had never run into anyone else there. The man was fairly tall, and wore a purple suit. His head was in the shape of a die. He looked up as Justitia approached. "Well now, I don't believe I have had the pleasure," the man said "I am King Dice. Nice to meet'cha!" He held out a hand. Justitia smiled, and took it in his wing. "The pleasure is all mine. The name's Justitia. I'm fairly new to the isles, got here in the beginning of October. Been bedridden most of the time." Justitia shoved his thumbs in his toga pockets. King Dice straightened his bow tie, and had a 'sympathetic' look. "Well now, that's fair bad! Been here so long and yet you've probably seen just about nuthin'! Prone to sickness?"  
"No, I crashed into a tree when I was flying, broke some bones. Anyway, sorry to cut this short, but I gotta get headin' on. Meeting someone." Justitia replied, offering an apologetic smile. The man waved him off. "Not to worry. If you're ever looking for some fun, head on down to the casino on the fourth isle. I work there, so maybe we can have a nice chat." He handed Justitia a flyer. "Have a nice day!" He kicked his feet, hopped, and twirled down into a portal that opened under his feet. Justitia put the flyer away, and passed into the second isle.


	9. Explorations 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's still out and about

When Justitia stepped back into the natural sunlight, he smiled. It felt so nice against the white fur which covered his form. As he walked, he greeted those he knew, and finally made it to Djimmi's pyramid. There were a few hours until the shows. He knocked on the door, then settled to wait. Djimmi opened it, and grinned at Justitia. "Hello Justi! How have you been?" A similar grin tugged on Justitia's lips. "I've been well, Djimmi, and you?" The djinn laughed uproariously in his deep baritone, at some joke Justitia didn't get. "I have been well. Why must you always speak so formally? You're doing better now, using contractions!" Justitia laughed now, understanding his amusement. "I suppose. Anyway, I came to invite you to accompany me on an outing today, as your shows are starting later than usual. I was going to invite the baroness as she doesn't work today too, and maybe Beppi if he was free."  
Djimmi shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry my friend, but I must decline. The reason for my shows starting late today is that I have a business meeting. I would like to, but I can't. I wish you luck in getting the others to join you." Justitia brushed it off, shrugging. "Not a problem, Djimmi. I hope it goes in your favor." He turned to leave, not noticing the strange look Djimmi gave him as he turned. He headed down to Von Bon bon's castle, and shrugged when there was no answer. He left a note, and went on his way. Beppi was dealing with a crowd when he arrived, so he simply waved, bought a balloon, and left. He quickly grew bored with his familiar surroundings, and found himself eyeing the die house leading to Isle 3.  
He remembered that Cuphead and Mugman didn't like Justitia going to new places without one of them, but he'd never promised them anything. He headed over, then stepped into the red building. There was no one inside this time, so he moved on. He came to a large yellow skyscraper, and saw a flyer for a tour on honey production, and became excited. He entered and approached the receptionist, a pudgy, fluffy bumble bee. "Um, excuse me miss?" She looked up. "I saw the flyer outside, about the tours. I was wondering when the next tour is?" He puffed his fur out a bit, and gave her his "puppy-bat eyes" as Mugman had affectionately deemed them. He had found he was very good at manipulating people when he turned up the cuteness, and it helped that he was genuinely interested. She faltered, and cooed quietly. "Well, we have a tour guide available right now. I'll call her up, and she'll take you on a tour."  
A worker bee came in, and led him away. They talked about production, types of flowers, and more as they walked through indoor gardens. He was given so many samples of honey that his stomach ached from too much sugar, and his mouth felt dry. Eventually, he was led to the final room, where bees were given orders and sent around the building. The bees froze soon after he entered, dropping into kneels as a door opened. He awkwardly copied them, and realized what was happening when a large bee came through, escorted by a pair of security guards. She smiled at her workers, and raised her hands to let them rise. They went back about their business, and she walked towards him. "Hello there. I am Rumor Honeybottoms, queen of this hive. And you are?"  
He smiled, his fur standing in excitement. "I am Justitia. It's an honor to meet you." She tittered softly, seeming amused. "Now, you're near fuzzy enough to be a bee yourself. I trust my guide has treated you well?" He nodded eagerly, ears wiggling with excess energy as he started to get a sugar rush. She noticed this, and her eyes narrowed slightly. She turned to the worker. "How many samples did you give him?" She buzzed nervously. "U-Um, one of each... He was just so cute, I-" Honeybottoms sighed, cutting her off. "I understand. Your maternal instincts took over, so I'll pardon you this time. Just don't do it again." The worker calmed. "Thank you, ma'am." The queen then turned back to Justitia, her expression warm again. "Well, if you're here, then your tour is almost over. Do you have any questions for me? I'd be happy to answer a few while I have the chance,"  
Justitia had the feeling this was a rare opportunity. He was quick to jump at the chance, and she seemed to enjoy talking to him. He left happy and jittery, and decided to check out the shops along the road. Eventually, he went home, happy with his day out.


	10. Chapter 10

When Justitia returned home, it was nearly dinner time. He greeted Elder Kettle and the boys, who were home from work. He then headed to his room to sort out everything he bought, having gotten a splendid idea. Woodworking tools were scattered over his bed, strips of cloth, and much more joining soon after. He went into his nightstand, pulling out his horns. He set about cleaning the gore from them, excited. He didn't know how long he'd been working when a knock on his door had him scrambling to hide everything. "Come in!" He called, once his bed was clear. Mugman entered, smiling. "Hey, I came to get you for dinner. I know you don't eat and all but we like having you around." Justitia blinked, and smiled. He nodded emphatically, and Mugman left.  
He cleaned quickly, and made his way downstairs, sitting at the table. The time passed quickly as the others ate, conversation filling the air. The warmth of the scene reminded Justitia of the ambient heat of heaven, but where the heat had been scorching in the Kingdom of God, tainted by Wrath, it was comfortable to be here. The warmth here was generated by love and kindness. And as they separated after their family time, and Justitia returned to his work, he found himself dreading the day he would return to heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a filler piece to move time along and open up a plot point


	11. The Casino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Justitia finally takes Dice up on his offer of a visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried for a longer chapter this time.

Justitia had gone about his daily life as he had before, forgetting King Dice, until almost a week later he pulled the flyer out of his pocket. He remembered the talk, and smiled at the thought of visiting. "The Devil's Casino... Why does that sound familiar?" he muttered to himself, then shrugged it off as he chalked it up to Dice mentioning it, having forgotten Cuphead and Mugman's warning his first day in the Isles. He looked at the drawing of the casino, and decided his robes would not be appropriate, despite their comfort and being impervious to wear and tear. He walked to his closet, selecting a white suit he'd gotten for a ceremony earlier in the year. It was fairly nice, and you couldn't see his shed fur on it, which was increasing as the weather got colder.  
He headed out, and decided he wanted to fly there, as he didn't fly very often anymore. Taking a running start, he leaped into the air, and grinned at the exhilaration of the wind. He made his way over the Isles, to the fourth. When he landed, he paused to take in the sight in front of him. The cave's maw yawned before him, hot air drying his eyes out and warming his skin, although it wasn't entirely unpleasant. He walked in, ignoring a small thought in the back of his head that whispered "You shouldn't be here." A pair of magick imps came forward, although their form was not one he recognized. Leathery purple-blue skin covered them, and they wore no clothes, though they had nothing to cover. A pair of horns sprouted from their foreheads, where his own grew from the side of his head, concealed by his large ears. The quiet voice came back, whispering "Demons" this time, to name the things before him. They looked at up, at first growling, then confused. He decided to speak up. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a casino I was invited to. According to the flyer it's here in this cave, but if that's wrong, I'll leave." He held up the flyer, King Dice's signature in bright purple ink standing out against the dark background on the paper.   
The demon-imps gestured for him to follow, and he walked behind them, despite his instincts telling him not to trust them.  
They soon arrived at the casino, and they departed, sending him odd looks. He entered, seeing the building full of patrons, at tables, games, the bar, or just mingling. An involuntary shudder ran through him as his core reacted to the sin filling the place, but he was not the judge of souls here, he was simply another patron. He sat at the bar, and looked over the drink menu. He enjoyed a drink every now and then, as the act of drinking was not a sin so long as it was not with the intention of getting drunk. He ordered, and waited for his "Medusa's Eye" cocktail. It was apparently sour apple vodka, tonic, green food coloring, with a slice of lemon floating in it. It was then garnished with mint leaves dipped in chocolate. King Dice sat beside him, smirking. "Well now, you certainly know how to keep a fella waitin'! I was startin' to think you wouldn't come on down."  
Justitia laughed softly, taking his drink from the bartender, a martini glass, and paying her for it. "Well, it's been tough to find the time. Life has been busy since I got off bed rest. Plus, if I was going to a casino, I needed to get my play funds up, after all, I might as well have fun here." He took a sip, biting back a hiss at the burn. He tended to stick to whiskeys, but he definitely liked this. Dice's smirk grew, and he chuckled softly. "Well, I hope you have a good time. After all, it's what we're here for." He left, and Justitia nursed his drink, watching the people around him. When he finished, he found he had a pleasant buzz that made him a bit looser, but not stumbling. He made his way to the roulette table, and sat to watch. He quickly picked up the rules and even a few tricks the dealer used. He played a few rounds, lost some money, got it back, made more, and quickly grew bored, despite the excitement around him. He left with his winnings, heading for a new table. He observed black jack for a while, then drifted over to the poker table, which caught his interest.  
He felt happy as he watched the games. It felt good to go against his teachings, even if he knew it would trouble him later. He eventually started to play, won a few rounds, lost more, won a couple more, and left with more money than he'd come with. He liked watching them struggle to tell lies around him, it was funny to see them recover, or be called out for a lie that didn't match up with a truth they were forced to tell. Then, a dark presence filled the casino, although the other patrons didn't seem to notice. Against his better judgement, he ignored it, going to the bar to sit. The martini slid a glass of red wine to him. "I didn't order this." Justitia said, not taking it. "I know, the boss ordered it for you." At this Justitia blinked, and accepted it. He took a sip, eyes sliding over the crowd.   
A tall man sat beside him. Clawed fingers tapped the bar surface. Justitia turned to him, taking in fur darker than the blackest night, eyes glowing eerie yellow, irises red as embers. He had a cruel grin on his face. Grey horns rose from his forehead like the imps that had brought him to the casino. He took another sip of the drink as his mind supplied a name for the man, despite never having met or hearing of him before. The Devil. "You have excellent taste in wine, sir." The man laughed, and he spoke, curiosity in his voice to match the gleam in his eyes. "Thank you. What is an angel doing in Hell, and sinning at that?"  
Justitia shrugged. "Well, I might as well have fun since I'm stuck in Inkwell for a while. Besides, gambling in itself isn't a sin. Love of money is, as it's counted as greed, but not gambling. Neither is drinking so long as you don't get drunk." He sipped a bit more, then set the glass down. "As for being in hell, I was invited." He set the flyer on the counter. "Though, I don't think he knew I was an angel," The crowd began to disperse a bit. The Devil looked at the flyer, and huffed. "Well, you certainly don't look like an angel. What's with the new look?" Justitia tensed, looking away. "Well, I'm not sure. I didn't even know what I looked like until I came to Inkwell. I didn't know there were angels who had a different design, until..." He swallowed, ears trembling as he went pale. He took a deep breath. "The ones before my type, with the feathered wings... They're all dead." The Devil froze, shocked. "What? No, that can't be. You're lying!"  
He shook his head. "Can't lie. The people around me can't lie. It's funny to watch them try though." He motioned to a man at a table nearby, struggling to talk to a woman, who was clearly uncomfortable. He looked angry as she fled, and went on a rant to himself. He turned back to the Devil, ears drooping. "I don't know what heaven was like before I was born, but I could tell it was very different. I didn't really know anything except my purpose before I fled..." At this, Devil raised a brow. Justitia answered the unasked question, thumb tracing the rim of the glass between them. "I broke my halo by accident, crashed into another angel because we're all blinded, and I crashed into a pillar. Horns broke, and suddenly I could see because the holy light which comes from our halos went out. I discovered the bodies of the angels before me in a lake, God got angry, although my connection to him is cut off now, so I couldn't tell the exact reason. Dove into the lake, and then I was crashing into a tree on Isle 1. Broke so many bones..."  
Devil was listening intently. He stood, turning to him. "Come with me." Justitia downed the last of the wine, not wanting to leave it on the bar, and stood. "Fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't drink, so I don't know if the cocktail I created for the story is any good. If any of you want to try it, then let me know if it's any good.


	12. Talking it over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Justitia talks to the Devil about what Heaven is like after his revolution.

The Devil led Justitia to a building on the side of the casino, and waved for Dice to follow them as they exited the main building. Justitia found himself stumbling a bit, and turned his attention to his feet. His vision swam a bit as he walked, ears flat to his skull. Dice wrapped a hand around his wing, helping him forward. Devil led them into an office "So, what now?" Justitia asked, ears swishing around. Devil sighed. "I'm going to cast a memory spell on you, and look at them. You're nearly smashed off of two drinks, so anything you say is gonna get hard to listen to. " Justitia pouted at that comment, crossing his wings. "I don't drink often, and I was on an empty stomach. I'm not even drunk... Admittedly vodka probably should not have started the night." Devil shook his head. He snapped his fingers, and the world went dark. The Devil looked to Dice. "Come here, something tells me I'm not going to enjoy this little show." Dice moved to the Devil's side, putting a hand on his shoulder. Devil cast the spell, and sat back as images began to form in a cloud of smoke above the angel's head. At first, all he saw was red, and he could hear the tortured souls of the Ninth Ring of Hell.  
It continued like this, the angel blind, in constant pain, and too weak to be self-sufficient. Then, it changed. The crash, pain, darkness, and then, he saw heaven, and Devil's eyes went wide. Heaven was a wreck. He gripped the arms of the chair as he saw the blood, claws scratching the wood, and a growl rose in his chest. With the first body, his tail lashed, and then, he saw the rest. Hundreds of bodies strewn across the lake angels used to go between worlds, slaughtered like animals. He knew each face, and snarled when he saw the first old friend, Castiel. Then, he threw his chair as he saw his former brothers, Michael, Gabriel, Cassiel, Raphael, and Uriel. He saw the hand of God descend on the angel, who ran in terror of what might await him. God's hand was much different than Devil remembered.  
His skin was blackened with soot, and looked like it was hardened and wrinkled underneath. His nails were yellowed and long. He cut off the spell as the angel fled, not needing to see more. He had been close with his brothers, even if he was mad that they hadn't sided with him. He had still genuinely cared about them. He growled and hissed, tail lashing as he paced. He felt his form shifting, changing with his rage. Dice then pulled him down, whispering the words and coos that always calmed him. He changed back into his normal form, whining. Red tears welled in his eyes. Dice righted his chair, and pulled him close to cuddle as sobs began to wrack him. His birth place was destroyed, his brothers were dead, and probably at God's hand. Worst of all, he couldn't do anything about it. He was cut off from Heaven completely, so there was no way to get to them. He remembered how he had been close to them, much closer than he had been with anyone else in heaven.  
He looked at the angel unconscious across from them. A part of him felt angry at him, but he knew it was God's fault. He sighed, sniffling as he dried his eyes. "Find the kid a place to sleep it off. If he has a hangover, get him something for it." Dice looked at him, silently asking he was going to be okay. "I'll be fine. Just need a minute or two." King Dice nodded, then carried the angel away. The Devil was left alone with his thoughts, and the information that was just unloaded on him. Something was wrong with God, and he had no idea when it started, but he had an idea what it was. He needed more information, and he knew just who to ask. Azrael, former judge of souls and archangel of the dead. The poor sap was always stealing souls from the first Ring of Hell, Limbo. Wanted to save them. He just had to catch him again, and make a deal. Any souls he was already in possession of, and a few more for a recon mission to find out what exactly was going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so uninspired for this, I'm sorry


End file.
